Chapter 35

Bhima said, ‘O king, unsubstantial as thou art like froth, unstable likea fruit (falling when ripe), dependent on time, and mortal, havingentered into an agreement in respect of time, which is infinite andimmeasurable, quick like a shaft or flowing like a stream, and carryingeverything before it like death itself, how canst regard it as availableby thee? How can he, O son of Kunti, wait whose life is shortened everymoment, even like a quantity of collyrium that is lessened each time agrain is taken up by the needle? He only whose life is unlimited or whoknoweth with certitude what the period of his life is, and who knoweththe future as if it were before his eyes, can indeed wait for the arrivalof (an expected) time. If we wait, O king, for thirteen years, thatperiod, shortening our lives, will bring us nearer to death. Death issure to overtake every creature having a corporeal existence. Therefore,we should strive for the possession of our kingdom before we die. He thatfaileth to achieve fame, by failing to chastise his foes, is like anunclean thing. He is a useless burden on the earth like an incapacitatedbull and perisheth ingloriously. The man who, destitute of strength, andcourage, chastiseth not his foes, liveth in vain, I regard such a one aslow-born. Thy hand can rain gold; thy fame spreadeth over the wholeearth; slaying thy foes, therefore, in battle, enjoy thou the wealthacquired by the might of thy arms. O repressor of all foes, O king, if aman slaying his injurer, goeth the very day into hell, that hell becomethheaven to him. O king, the pain one feeleth in having to suppress one’swrath is more burning than fire itself. Even now I burn with it andcannot sleep in the day or the night. This son of Pritha, calledVibhatsu, is foremost in drawing the bow-string. He certainly burnethwith grief, though he liveth here like a lion in his den. This one thatdesireth to slay without aid all wielders of the bow on earth, represseththe wrath that riseth in his breast, like a mighty elephant. Nakula,Sahadeva, and old Kunti–that mother of heroes, are all dumb, desiring toplease thee. And all our friends along with the Srinjayas equally desireto please thee. I alone, and Prativindhya’s mother speak unto theeburning with grief. Whatever I speak unto thee is agreeable to all ofthem, for all of them plunged in distress, eagerly wish for battle. Then,O monarch, what more wretched a calamity can overtake us that our kingdomshould be wrested from us by weak and contemptible foes and enjoyed bythem? O king, from the weakness of thy disposition thou feelest shame inviolating thy pledge. But, O slayer of foes, no one applaudeth thee forthus suffering such pain in consequence of the kindliness of thydisposition. Thy intellect, O king, seeth not the truth, like that of afoolish and ignorant person of high birth who hath committed the words ofthe Vedas to memory without understanding their sense. Thou art kind likea Brahmana. How hast thou been born in the Kshatriya order? They that areborn in the Kshatriya order are generally of crooked hearts. Thou hastheard (recited) the duties of kings, as promulgated by Manu, fraught withcrookedness and unfairness and precepts opposed to tranquillity andvirtue. Why dost thou then, O king, forgive the wicked sons ofDhritarashtra? Thou hast intelligence, prowess, learning and high birth.Why dost thou then, O tiger among men, act in respect of thy duties, likea huge snake that is destitute of motion? O son of Kunti, he thatdesireth to conceal us, only wisheth to conceal the mountains of Himavatby means of a handful of grass. O son of Pritha, known as thou art overwhole earth, thou wilt not be able to live unknown, like the sun that cannever course through the sky unknown to men. Like a large tree in awell-watered region with spreading branches and flowers and leaves, orlike Indra’s elephant, how will Jishnu live unknown? How also will thesechildren, the brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of younglions, both live in secret? How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna–thedaughter of Drupada–a princess and mother of heroes, of virtuous deedsand known over all the world, live unknown? Me also, everybody knowethfrom my boyhood. I do not see how I can live unknown. As well mightymountains of Meru be sought to be concealed. Then, again, many kings hadbeen expelled by us from their kingdom. These kings and princes will allfollow the bad son of Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, theyhave not still become friendly. Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra,they will certainly seek to injure us. They will certainly set against usnumerous spies in disguise. If these discover us and report theirdiscovery, a great danger will overtake us. We have already lived in thewoods full thirteen months. Regard them, O king, for their length asthirteen years. The wise have said that a month is a substitute for ayear, like the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the Soma.Or, (if thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself fromthis sin by offering good savoury food to a quiet bull carrying sacredburdens. Therefore, O king resolve thou to slay thy enemies. There is novirtue higher than fighting, for every Kshatriya!”